A Life Changing Event
by BekahAM
Summary: A mother of two, trapped in Middle Earth with nothing but thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, a wizard, and a silver locket. In order to get her children back, she must change the fate of Middle Earth, while trying to find herself in the process. Things are about to get a bit bumpy!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- I do not own The Hobbit or any characters associated, no matter how much I wish I did. **

After tucking in my two little boys for the night, I walked back to my empty room and sat on my bed, sighing. Was this how my life was always going to be? The same thing day in and day out. A single mother of two, living in a basement. I was only 21; I couldn't live my life that way.

I lay in my bed and closed my eyes, wishing I was anywhere but where I was. After a few minutes, I found myself fast asleep. It wasn't long before I was dreaming, but this dream was different than any others I had.

_I looked around, seeing a misty fog lying in the shadows of a vast, but lonely mountain. In front of me, I realized, was a battle taking place. It was strange though, there were men who were nearly twice my height and wearing strange clothing, and then there were men my height, all with long beards and hair, dressed in full armor. That's when I saw what they were fighting, ugly death-like creatures with jagged blades and unforgiving movements. _

_It hit me in an instant what I was looking at. I had read the Hobbit, and watched the movies. I knew what this was. The Battle of Five Armies. _

_I felt compelled to walk forwards, the battle silent around me as I just walked through, not even noticed. When I reached my destination, it took me a moment to realize what I was watching. I saw a regal-looking dwarf, fighting valiantly in front of two much younger dwarves, the blonde and the dark-haired princes. Brothers. _

_"NO!" I screamed._

_I watched in horror as I saw the pale orc stab Thorin in the chest with his metal clawed hand, picking him up and throwing him back towards the two boys, who were staring in disbelief as their uncle fell at their feet. Within an instant, both brothers were standing in front of their uncle, protecting his body with all they had._

_The pale Orc and his son slowly sauntered forward to the brothers with sickening grins on their faces. _

_I looked over to Thorin and felt something inside me rip apart as I watched blood flowing from his mouth freely. I then turned my attention to Fili and Kili, who were now battling the father-son orc duo. The orcs were easily twice their size and I tried my best to pry my eyes away from the horrible images in front of me, however, I couldn't. It was as if some other force was controlling my body. _

_I screamed out when I realized Azog had Kili speared in the stomach, the same as his uncle, holding him up to the pale orcs face, about to throw him when Kili grabbed one of his few remaining arrows from his quiver and lodged it into the pale orc's neck before pulling it out and plunging it into his eye. _

_Azog fell, as did Kili who rolled to the feet of his brother. Fili looked down at his younger brother in panic and his concentration broke for a split second, long enough for Bolg's sword to impale him through the chest. In a last second effort of revenge, Fili used one of his dual swords and swung as hard as he could, cutting Bolg's head off in one clean swipe. _

_Fili then fell to his brother's side, only a few feet away from their dying uncle. By this point, tears were falling freely as I watched the one last exchange of looks between the brothers before both closed their eyes for the last time in this life, together. I screamed out, but no one heard._

_All of a sudden, I was yanked from my spot on the dark battlefield and put into a room with a blinding light. Still crying, I kept my eyes closed, afraid of what I would see next. _

_"Amarianna Collins, welcome." I heard a strangely light voice from in front of me. The fog cleared and I saw a beautiful woman, dressed in white and green looking ethereal. _

_"How- how do you know my name? What is this? Where am I?" I asked quickly. The woman just laughed softly and kneeled down in front of me. _

_"All in good time, my dear. What you have just seen, the deaths of the dwarf king and his kin, the last in the line of Durin, is what shall happen if you do not fulfill the prophecy, laid before us." The woman spoke softly, her voice soothing me and worrying me at the same time. _

_"What do you mean, prophecy? I'm not even from Middle Earth, this is just fiction where I come from, none of it is real!" I yelled, trying to convince myself more than her._

_"You shall learn many things about yourself as well during this quest, my dear." She said firmly and I wondered what she could have meant. _

_"I can't go on a quest! I have two children at home that need me!" I yelled at her loudly. _

_"Amarianna, you cannot go back to Earth yet. Time moves much differently here, darling. A year can pass here in but a blink of the eye for your world. When this quest is finished, you have the choice of being sent back, as if none of this ever happened, or you may stay, and we can bring your children to you. It is your choice, but cannot be made until the prophecy is fulfilled." She responded. I just stared at her in disbelief. _

_"So basically, I don't have any other choice than to 'fulfill' this 'prophecy,' which I know nothing about and be without my children for a year or more while going on a quest that could potentially end my life?" I asked, getting a bit angry. _

_"Essentially. This is your destiny, Amarianna, do not fight it. Remember, your children will only have had a moment of time pass before you shall see them again. You must save the line of Durin, make the dwarves look past their greedy ancestors." The woman said to me. _

_"Fine, but I am not doing this for you, or for Middle Earth or wherever we are! I am doing this so that I can get my children back!" I yelled, still angry. _

_"Very well. When you wake, you will be in Rivendell, awaiting Mithrandir and Lord Elrond, who have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. You may keep this with you, if you wish." She said, laying a silver locket in my palm before vanishing into mid air. I looked down at the locket and opened it, seeing a picture of my two little boys inside. I felt tears prick my eyes as I clasped it safely around my neck, closing my eyes. _

_**First chapter of my new story! Let me know what you think! It's a bit of a different spin on OC in Middle Earth! Don't forget to REVIEW! **_

_-Bex _


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke, I sat upright in the soft bed, wondering if it was all a dream. That was until I looked around to see that I was not in my bed, nor in my room. I was in an extra-large bed, in a white room that was open and airy. I stood to walk over to the window and gasped at what I was wearing.

It wasn't my shorts and t-shirt that I had fallen asleep in, no; it was a long silvery dress. It pooled around my bare feet as I walked over to the window. I sucked in a breath as I looked out the window, seeing the breathtaking views of one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen in my life. Rivendell.

I heard the door opening and I turned around to see who it was. In walked a tall Elf maiden who looked almost surprised to see me.

"You're awake! I must go inform Lord Elrond immediately." She said but I quickly walked over to her.

"May I come with you? It would be easier than having Lord Elrond come here, don't you think?" I asked and she looked at me a little stunned for a moment then nodded her head, motioning for me to follow.

We walked through the halls of Rivendell coming upon a large open room that I recognized immediately, Lord Elrond's chambers.

"Yes, Emeriell?" I heard Lord Elrond say from inside as I stood near the door, waiting.

"My Lord Elrond, she is awake, and is just by the door." The Elf maiden said back to him.

"Thank you, Emeriell, please bring her in." Lord Elrond said in a regal voice. The tall Elf came back to the doorway and ushered me in before politely dismissing herself.

I stood there awkwardly for a moment while Lord Elrond placed the book he had been reading back upon one of the many shelves in his chambers.

"Lady Amarianna, welcome to the Valley of Imladris." He said, once facing me.

"It's just Amari, and at any other time, I would say that I am glad to be here, but seeing as I was whisked away from my two sleeping boys, only to be told that I cannot see them for more than a year while going on a highly dangerous quest, trying to save the lives of three people I've never met, at the same time as trying to keep myself alive… Well needless to say, I am not in the grandest of moods." I said with ferocity. He just looked at me with a sad smile and motioned me to sit.

"I apologize for the circumstances by which you were brought here, but I assure you, your presence is greatly needed in Middle Earth. As for your two sons, it will be difficult to be apart from them, yes, but it will also fuel you. I, myself, have two sons. Having something to fight for makes a much better warrior."

"And no time will pass for them while I am here?" I asked in a small voice, this time with no conviction.

"If anything it will only be a moment or two. They both will still be sound asleep when you reunite with them, whether they are brought here or you are taken back." He told me reassuringly.

After taking a deep breath and realizing that I really had no option but to be optimistic about this, I opened my eyes and looked back up to Lord Elrond.

"When do I begin?" I asked confidently, trying to weed out any sounds of weakness from my voice.

"Mithrandir will be here in a weeks time to collect you, but until then you will train with my two sons in combat with swords, daggers, and the bow, starting this afternoon." He told me before dismissing me back to my room to get changed into my training outfit.

The next week went by in a flash. I had managed to do pretty well with all of my weapons, but that didn't exempt me from being blindingly sore for a few days before my body fully adjusted. I was still getting used to my shortened stature, but luckily I didn't notice any hair growing on my face. I sighed in relief when Lord Elrond said that I shouldn't worry about it. I still felt lost without my sons, and that feeling couldn't be quelled by any amount of training I did.

Today was the day Gandalf was coming, or 'Mithrandir' to the Elves. I gathered my few belongings in the bag that I was given, along with my bedroll, and closed the door to my room before walking down to Lord Elrond's chambers to meet with Gandalf.

I knocked on the door to be polite and it was quickly opened, letting me inside.

"Ah, you must be the young Miss Amarianna." I heard the tall man in grey say as I realized that it was indeed, Gandalf.

"It's just Amari, Gandalf." I told him, having to look up several feet to see his face.

"Well then, Miss Amari, I suppose that you are ready to be on our way?" Gandalf asked, seeing my bag already upon my shoulders.

"I am," I told Gandalf before turning to Lord Elrond, "and thank you, Lord Elrond for your hospitality and guidance."

"You are most welcome here anytime, _mellon nîn_." I smiled to him in thanks. "I wish you both safe travels."

After departing Rivendell, it took us nearly a week to get to the Shire. I was quiet for the most part, listening to Gandalf's tales of Middle Earth, as if he were trying to brush me up on my history –not like I didn't know it all to begin with-.

When we arrived in Bree, Gandalf handed me a small pouch of gold, telling me to get any supplies I needed, and that he would be back before lunch.

**Kind a basic chapter before we get to any of the exciting stuff. Reviews are welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3

I quickly gathered up the few supplies I needed and stood outside 'The Prancing Pony', waiting for Gandalf to arrive back.

Within minutes of standing there, I noticed two very familiar looking dwarves walking through the town, laughing as they went. They both looked so carefree, happy, as if nothing could get them down. I turned my gaze downcast, silently wishing that the amount of pressure on my shoulders would disappear.

I looked down at the silver locket lying on my chest and opened it, remembering why I was here. I would have to save these two boys and their uncle from their deaths.

"Hello." I heard a voice say, directed towards me. I was careful not to jump as I looked up and saw the two brothers standing in front of me. Closing my locket and placing it back inside my shirt tactfully, I gave a half-hearted smile to the two boys in front of me.

"Hello." I responded calmly.

"Fili," The blonde started.

"And Kili," The brunette said after.

"At your service." They finished at the same time, bowing deeply.

"Amari, at yours." I replied as I bowed as well.

"Now what would a dwarf lass be doing all the way in Bree?" Fili asked cautiously as I inspected my long dagger to make sure my short journey hadn't dulled it at all.

"What would thirteen dwarves be doing in Bree, clad in travel armor, on their way to visit a hobbit?" I countered, raising my eyebrow as I placed my blade back in my boot and looking up at their surprised faces.

"Well, um- you see… Gandalf!" Fili shouted, luckily the arrival of the wizard saved him from his feeble attempt at trying to lie to me.

"Ah, Fili and Kili, I see you've met Miss Amari." Gandalf said as he approached us.

"So how did the visit with the Hobbit go, Gandalf?" I asked before the other two could say anything.

He started mumbling something along the lines of 'Belladonna Took's son' and 'good mornings' before taking a long drag of his pipe and huffing loudly.

"I must go and round up the others, why don't you three head along. You will know which door, for there is a glowing rune upon it. Fili, Kili, do welcome the newest member of our company." Gandalf told them, whose eyes went wide as they looked over at me.

"Does Thorin know?" Fili asked quietly to Gandalf, who just chuckled lightly and patted him on the shoulder.

"All in good time, my dear Fili. Young Amarianna's place in this company was not decided upon by myself, nor your uncle, but by the Valar themselves. Thorin may not be pleased, but he will have no choice." Gandalf explained, effectively making the boys freeze. He then started walking away and left the three of us to ourselves.

"What did Gandalf mean?" Kili asked quietly after he was sure Gandalf was out of earshot. Both of their eyes went to mine, expecting some sort of explanation. I motioned for them to move closer.

"If you're good, you might just find out." I whispered to them, winking before walking off in the direction of Bag End. After a few moments and some unheard whispering between the two, they finally ran to catch up to me.

"So you're really not going to tell us?" Kili asked as they caught up to me. I kept my pace and didn't look at either of them.

"Maybe one day… Right now, it wouldn't matter if I did, I would still be here and you both would be even more confused. The Valar brought me here, yes. But the rest… well, it's probably best left unsaid, for now." I responded.

I tried to keep to myself the rest of the short journey, only answering questions when they were asked. It was difficult because I would normally be a talking machine, but I couldn't bring myself or my mood to match the boy's. I had to treat this like a job, a duty. It was my duty to make sure they survived, nothing more, nothing less. I couldn't let myself get attached to a world or people that I was going to be taken away from in the end.

We arrived at Bag End precisely when we were supposed to and poor Bilbo already looked frazzled. Fili and Kili introduced themselves as they normally did and soon I was face to face with the hobbit, himself.

"Good Evening, Master Baggins. Amari, at your service." I told him bowing lightly. I wiped my boots politely at the door and laid my weapons on the side table easily.

He was much to busy trying to get the other four out of his pantry to pay me any mind and I just silently made my way into the pantry, grabbed some bread, dried meat, and a mug of ale, and sat off in a random chair next to a window, looking out into the night as I ate. Soon enough, the rest _(minus one very important dwarf king)_ came barreling through the door, landing on Bilbo.

I chuckled silently to myself before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Kili standing over me with a tall mug of ale, looking confused.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked casually.

"Just sitting." I responded quietly.

"Well that's certainly no fun. Come, join the rest of us, live a little!" He said as he held his hand out for me to take. I looked apprehensive for a moment before I gave in. If I was going to be forced to be here, might as well make the best of it, right?

I took his hand and felt a shock run through me, but I quickly dismissed it as nothing while we walked through the house into the –now full- dining room. In a split second, all dwarven eyes were on me.

"And who might this young lass be?" Balin asked.

"My dear Balin, this is Miss Amari. She will be joining us on our quest." Gandalf replied to the elder dwarf with a look saying 'later'.

"Well then, Miss Amari, welcome!" Balin said with a small tug of a smile.

Kili led me to the small seat in between him and Fili, who was smirking as I sat.

"I see my brother finally persuaded you to join in. Now what do you need to have to make you stay?" Fili asked with a laugh.

"Perhaps another ale, I might need one if I'm to meet your uncle tonight!" I whispered only loud enough for the two brothers to hear me, who both laughed whole-heartedly.

"He won't be happy, but he's not that bad. Sometimes." Kili whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"That's reassuring." I muttered. Fili had, at some point, gotten up to get the ale, and was now walking across the middle of the table.

"Who want's an ale? Here ya go!" He said as he passed out a few, saving three tankards for us. "Here you are, Miss Amari."

"Please, both of you, none of this 'miss' business. It's just Amari, or even just Ari if you want!" I said as I loosened up a bit from the ale. "Thanks for making me join in!" I told them as I laughed, watching Bofur throw an egg at Bombur, who caught it in his mouth. "Toss one this way, Bofur!" I yelled.

I caught it in my mouth and everyone cheered. I heard a couple people say, "way to go, lass!"

After a few minutes (while they were having a burping contest), I got up to go to the loo and when I came back, I had to duck to avoid flying dishes! I could hear the silverware as I stood behind Fili.

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks!"_ Kili started off in a deep baritone.

"_Smash the bottles and burn the corks!"_ Fili continued after him.

"_Chip the glasses and crack the plates,_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" _I decided to join in because I knew the song and was actually having fun.

_"Cut the cloth, tread on the fat _

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you're finished if they are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll!_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

All of the dishes were stacked nicely on the table and we were all laughing from the excellent song. However, the fun didn't last, as we heard a loud knock on the door. Everyone went silent.

"He's here." Gandalf said as he walked to the doorway. I felt a hand on my arm, and looked up to see that Kili was pulling me behind him with a look that said 'better save you for last'.

**Yay dwarves! As always, reviews are encouraged! Hope you all enjoy. (I already have over 30,000 words written for this story, so posts are only waiting for reviews.) **

**Bex**


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone gathered around the door as Thorin walked in, clad in his royal blue travel garb. Fili walked up behind his Uncle as he surveyed Bilbo.

"Gandalf, I thought you said this place would be easy to find, I lost my way twice!" Thorin said as he entered, taking his cloak off and handing it to Fili. (It would have been Kili, had he not been shielding me.) "Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door!"

"There's no mark on that door, I just had it painted a week ago!" Bilbo yelled.

"There is a mark on the door, Bilbo Baggins, I put it there myself. May I introduce Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of our company."

"So this is the hobbit?" Thorin said, looking at Bilbo. "Axe or sword, what is your weapon of choice?"

"Well I do have some skill in conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo replied. _Oh Bilbo, just shut up_.

"Just as I suspected. Looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin said as everyone started laughing. I didn't laugh because I hated to be rude, but it was true, he didn't look like a burglar.

We were all moving to the kitchen again when Thorin noticed me. Kili seemed to catch on and stayed with me as the others went into the kitchen.

"Who might you be? I was not aware of any others." Thorin asked me as he approached. I swallowed hard and just looked at him, smirking. I was trying my best to hide my apprehension.

"Amari, at your service." I said as I bowed deeply.

"Where are you from?" He asked and I froze. Gandalf stepped in.

"Kili, will you give us a moment?" Gandalf asked, and Kili looked at me as if to ask if I was okay. I nodded slightly and he turned towards the kitchen.

Thorin gave Gandalf a scolding look. "What is this about, wizard?"

"Miss Amarianna was brought here by the same forces that created this world and its inhabitants." Gandalf explained.

"What do you mean, brought here?" Thorin asked quickly.

"I'm not from around here." I told him, speaking up.

"No one told you to speak, girl." Thorin growled and I saw red. No one treated me like that.

"Excuse me, but I believe this conversation is about me, so therefore it gives me every right to speak. Listen to me, and you listen good. You may be a king, but you are not my king. I was sent to this bloody world to aide you in your quest to help get your precious mountain back, against my will. I don't want to be here anymore than you want me to be, but it isn't either of our choices!" I yelled, my anger getting the best of me. I shook my head and started to walk away.

"This is no quest for a girl that is not a warrior." Thorin spoke to Gandalf. Without much thought, I pulled my throwing knife from my pocket and turned, throwing it directly above Thorin's head, sticking in the wood about an inch above him.

"Say I'm not a warrior again and I won't hesitate to hit my mark. I have much more to fight for than you will ever think." I spat, then turned while he stood there shocked, taking the opportunity to walk out the door.

I sat outside on the bench for quite a while, during which I was sure they were discussing the quest and giving Bilbo the contract. I couldn't believe I let my fiery temper get the best of me, but I wasn't going to let anyone speak to me that way.

I heard the door open quietly, but didn't turn around to see who it was. I didn't really care.

"My uncle should really know better than to speak to a lady that way. The last time he did, my Ma did just about the same thing you did with this, except with a kitchen knife." Kili said as he sat beside me, holding out my throwing knife.

"Saw that, did you?" I asked as I took my knife back and placed it in my pocket once more.

"I might have sneaked a look once the voices were raised." He said with a smirk. "Thorin will never say it, but I think he was rather impressed by your knife handling ability. Along with the knife, he also told me to give you this." He handed me a folded piece of parchment and I knew it was the contract.

"So you heard everything?" I asked and he nodded. "I'm sure you must have questions, why aren't you asking them?"

"Because I know that you'll tell me when you're ready to." He said with a small smile. That one statement meant the world to me.

"Thank you." I told him, returning the smile. He stood, taking my hand.

"Come on, let's get back inside before Fili starts worrying that you've tried to kill me as well." Kili said, laughing.

"Oh I didn't try to kill Thorin, if I had tried, he would be dead." I told him with a smirk, feeling much better now.

"I know that, and I'm pretty sure he does as well." Kili said as he opened the door for me. As I expected, Fili was right on the other side, waiting for us.

"And Kili, I'd never try to kill you." I whispered to him with a wink before walking through the door.

**Three chapters in one day! How awesome am I?!**

**Review for more!**


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm sorry for my uncle's behavior." Fili said as soon as we were inside.

"It's alright, Fili. It wasn't your fault. Your uncle just doesn't know a real lass when he see's one." I told him, smirking.

"That is true. Everyone's in the other room, we should join them." Fili told us. Kili motioned for me to follow Fili and he walked in behind us.

I could hear the humming from the hall, and I knew what it was. When we entered the room, Fili stood against the wall, smoking his pipe, and Kili put his hand on the small of my back, leading me to the other wall.

"_Far over the Misty Mountains cold,_

_to dungeons deep, and caverns old._

_We must away, ere break of day,_

_To find our long forgotten gold."_

Thorin began singing in a deep tone and soon the rest of us joined in.

_"The pines were roaring on the height,_

_The winds were moaning in the night._

_The fire was red, it flaming spread,_

_The trees like torches, blazed with light._

I knew the song was much longer than that, but the pure emotion from it was enough to end it short for the night.

After the song ended, I found a quill and some ink and signed my name on the parchment and took it over to Balin.

"Everything looks to be in order. Welcome to the company, lassie." Balin said as he looked over my contract with his looking glass.

I found my way back to my bag and took out my bedroll, laying it down in a secluded corner, away from the rest, falling into an uneasy sleep. About halfway through the night, I finally got warm and my sleep came much easier.

When I woke, the house was still quiet, minus a humming coming from the kitchen. I looked around, seeing Fili and Kili sleeping closest to me, only about a meter away, and finally noticed that I not only had my small bedroll, but a large cloak laying over me. I smiled as I stood up, draping the long cloak over my shoulders as I walked toward the kitchen where I found Bombur already cooking the company a large breakfast.

"Need any help, Bombur?" I asked him as I walked in.

"I am almost done, lass, why don't you set the table and wake up the lads?" Bombur responded cheerfully. I nodded and began setting the table. As soon as I was finished, I walked over to where the others were sleeping.

I wasn't so sure how to go about waking them up, so I tried the first thing that came to mind. I whistled loudly and called out "Breakfast!"

Thorin, Bofur, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, and Fili were the first to wake, and they woke up the others, all except Kili.

"He sleeps like a rock on a normal day, but he was up pretty late last night. I can wake him if you want?" Fili asked hesitantly as he motioned towards Kili, who looked much more peaceful in sleep.

"It's alright. You go eat, I'll wake him." I told him.

"You're a brave lass, if you are willing to attempt that." Fili said laughing as he walked away.

I sat down next to Kili and started playing with his hair. It surprised me how soft it was, and I kept running my fingers through it.

"_Arise, arise_

_Open up your eyes_

_Oh, the sun_

_It fills the sky_

_Look, the sky_

_Is blue and wide_

_And you can feel_

_The warmth on your skin_

_Mmmm. La da da da da_

_Arise, arise_

_Open up your eyes_

_Oh, the sun_

_It fills the sky_

_Greet the day_

_With arms open wide_

_And breathe the first_

_Breath of your life_

_Mmmm. La da da da_

_Arise, arise_

_Open up your eyes_

_Oh, the sun_

_It fills the sky_

_Arise, arise_

_Open up your eyes_

_Oh, the sun_

_It fills the sky."_

I sang softly as I played with his hair. It was the song I would sing to my sons to wake them up without them having a fit.

"Your voice is beautiful." I heard him say as he opened his eyes. My fingers froze in his hair and I blushed. I was sure it hadn't worked. "And I'm pretty sure that you're the only one who's ever been able to wake me without a fist to the face."

"Well I'm glad that didn't happen, or we might have been one dwarf short for our quest." I smirked at him as he sat up.

"Where are the others?" Kili asked, standing up.

"In the dining room, eating breakfast. You go on with the rest, I'll be in there in a minute." I told him. He nodded. Before he could go, I grabbed his hand. "I believe this is yours." I said, about to take off the cloak.

"Keep it for now, I know you're cold." He told me with a smile before heading to the dining room.

I made quick work of rolling up everyone's bedrolls neatly before walking into the dining room and grabbing an apple. I looked towards Thorin.

"Everything is prepared to leave." I told him before walking back out of the room, not wanting to get angry again. Soon enough, everyone was filing out of the dining room into the room where everything was packed and ready to go. I had even laid out each person's weapons with their belongings.

"Did you do all of this by yourself, lass?" Dwalin asked as he reached his pile. I nodded. They all seemed to appreciate it greatly.

"How did you know our weapons?" Fili asked curiously. I chuckled a little.

"Well, you're the only one I know of that carries dual swords and several knives and daggers. Kili is an archer like me, and he has a spare sword and a few daggers, the others were just easy to figure out." I told him with a wink. He didn't need to know specifically how I knew.

"See brother, now I'm not the only archer in the company!" Kili said excitedly as he secured his weapons to his person.

Soon we were leaving, headed towards Bree to pick up the ponies. I had ridden with Gandalf on his horse from Rivendell to Bree, so I just knew I was going to have to ride with someone.

I was still wearing Kili's cloak as we walked the wide path towards Bree, and I was glad too, because it was a bit nippy for a summer morning.

"How did you manage to wake Kee up this morning without a black eye?" Fili asked curiously.

"That's a secret I'm not sharing." I told him, smirking.

"I guess we'll just have to have you wake him up every morning, then." Fili said with a laugh.

"I'm good with that!" I heard Kili yell from right behind us.

"Fine, since I'm the only one who can wake him up unscathed, I will officially take that responsibility." I said with a laugh.

Soon we made it to Bree and were loading up the ponies when Balin approached me.

"Sorry lassie, but we only have but one extra pony for Mr. Baggins, should he arrive." Balin said with a sad face.

"He'll be here, Balin. It's fine, I can just—"

"She can ride with me, Balin!" I heard a distinctive voice say and I smiled.

"Alrighty then, well that problem is solved." Balin said with a smile as he retreated to his pony.

I walked over to Kili's pony and he attached my bag to the side and he helped me up.

"Thank you," I murmured as I got situated. "Again."

"There's no need for thanks, I enjoy your company." Kili responded into my ear, making me blush a deep red.

"Well I'm glad someone does." I told him.

"Fili does too. And Balin, Bofur, Ori, and Bombur." He said, trying to cheer me up. "The rest will come around. They just don't know you yet."

I took a small peek at my silver locket before closing it and putting it back inside my shirt, taking a deep breath to get myself ready for this quest.

"That locket must be important to you." Kili remarked from behind me as we began to ride.

"It is. Maybe one day I'll show you what's inside." I told him honestly. I wasn't ready for any of them to know that I had two children, wondering if they would look at me differently or frown upon it because I was so young. But I had a feeling that I would at least tell Kili, maybe even Fili soon.

We rode for about 15 minutes before I heard the distant voice of a running hobbit, shouting.

"Wait, wait! I've signed it!" I just smiled as we stopped.

"Told you so." I whispered to Kili.

"So you did." He said as he slid a pouch of coins into my pocket.

A couple hours into the ride, I had somehow managed to lean back against Kili's chest and I heard him start humming the Misty Mountains song, or felt it as it vibrated my back. It was so relaxing that I felt myself drift off. I had no idea how I fell asleep riding a pony, but it happened and I didn't fall off.

When I woke, it was already nearing nightfall and my thighs were burning like mad! I was surprised to find that Kili had one arm firmly around my waist, probably so that I wouldn't fall off.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked Kili, or grumbled to him.

"Probably a good seven hours. Feeling well rested?" My eyes shot open in shock.

"Seven hours?! Why didn't you wake me? That must have been very uncomfortable for you..." I muttered feeling my face get red again.

"I was perfectly fine and you were so peaceful, I didn't dare wake you." Kili chuckled lightly.

"It's your fault I fell asleep, you were humming and it was so relaxing... I couldn't help it." I said turning around to look at him.

"Oh really?" He asked, smirking as he looked down to me.

"Yep. Put me straight to sleep." I responded, smiling.

"Good to know." He said winking at me.

We rode for another hour, finally finding a spot to camp for the night.

"Fili, Kili, you take first watch." Thorin yelled at them as Gloin got the fire going near a stone wall. The others ate and rolled out their bedrolls, but seeing as I had slept plenty earlier, I was wide awake, so I decided to go sit in between Fili and Kili against the stone wall.

"Couldn't sleep?" Fili asked smirking at me as he laughed.

"I had plenty of sleep earlier, which is why I decided I would help keep watch, it's the least I can do." I told them.

"You should try to sleep more." Kili responded as he fiddled with a piece of wood.

"Couldn't if I tried." I told them. "Sorry boys, you're stuck with me."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Kili said to me. I raised my eyebrows at him but said no more as we heard a screech in the night. I knew exactly what it was.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, almost panicked.

"Orcs." I whispered. Kili looked over at me raising his eyebrows.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked quietly.

"Aye, throat-cutters, there'll be dozens of them out there, the lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said from behind me, still smoking his pipe. I unconsciously moved closer to Kili.

"They attack in the still of the night, quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood." Kili said before turning to Fili and chuckling lightly.

"You think a night raid by orcs is funny? Some type of joke?" Thorin asked angrily. The boys looked down in shame.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili responded.

"Of course not. You know nothing of this world." Thorin replied, walking away to look over the cliff side.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most, to hate orcs." Balin said as began to tell the story of the Battle of Azanulbizar, and the pale orc, Azog.

"And the Pale Orc?" Bilbo asked as the story was over.

"Slunk back into the hole from whence he came. The filth died from his wounds long ago." Thorin replied, walking back over to the camp to lie down. I exchanged a look with Gandalf, knowing the pale orc was still very much alive.

"Sorry if we scared you." Kili told me after the others went to sleep.

"You didn't scare me. I feel as safe as possible with my two protectors right next to me." I told them smiling. I started thinking about the journey we were on and I found myself humming, eventually singing what had come to mind.

"_Home is behind, the world ahead._

_And there are many paths to tread._

_Through shadow, to the edge of night,_

_until the stars are all alight._

_Mist and shadow,_

_cloud and shame._

_All shall fade,_

_all shall fade."_

_(Pippin's song)_

"That was beautiful." Kill whispered in my hair after I finished singing. "You'll have to teach it to me."

At some point in the night I fell asleep, leaning on Kili's shoulder.

When I woke, he was already awake eating an apple. I was surprised since he usually slept like a log.

"Making a habit of falling asleep on me, I see?" He laughed. "Not that I mind." I didn't know what to say so I just blushed deep red and sat up straight as Fili threw me an apple.

We were back on the road in no time, and soon it was raining. Like, a total downpour. I could feel myself starting to shiver under my soaked clothes, even though it was a summer rain.

"Lean back." I heard Kili say to me. I looked back at him, confused. He pulled me back against him, my back flush against his chest, feeling the warmth from it as he wrapped his large fur and leather cloak around us both.

"Well don't you two look cozy." Fili joked as he rode up beside us.

"You're just jealous." I said smirking at him.

"Am I now? You do seem to have a way of being attached to my brother." Fili said winking at me. I threw the rock that I had been playing with at him and he dodged it laughing.

**Longer chapter! I know you guys want to get to the good stuff so I'll try to make the chapters a bit longer! :) As always, REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

The rain continued for three days, non-stop. I had grown accustom to sleeping on Kili's chest as we rode on the pony with his cloak covering us both. But I could have sworn my clothes were soaked to the core.

"Mr. Gandalf, can't you do anything about this deluge?" Dori asked Gandalf as it continued to rain.

"No, Master Dwarf, it is raining and will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you may consult another wizard." Gandalf told him.

"Are there?" Bilbo asked. "Any other wizards?"

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Sauroman the White." I cringed when he said the foul name. "Then there are the two blues, though I've quite forgotten their names," Gandalf began.

"That would be Pallando and Alatar." I mentioned.

"Yes, yes, you're quite right." Gandalf muttered.

"Who's the fifth?" Bilbo asked curiously.

"Ah that would be Radagast the Brown." Gandalf replied.

"And is he a great wizard or more like yourself?" Bilbo asked. I almost spit out the water I was drinking from my water skin.

"I think Radagast is a very great wizard, though he prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps an eye on the great forests of the east. And a good thing, too, for evil is always trying to find a foothold in this world." Gandalf told him.

We rode for a few more days, only to stop at the ruins of an old farmhouse. I still hadn't told them about my sons and I knew I would have to soon.

"We'll camp here for the night." Thorin said. "Fili, Kili, keep an eye on the ponies, and stay with them."

Fili helped me off the pony and then helped Kili lead them into the forest to keep an eye on them.

I saw Gandalf arguing with Thorin about something and then Gandalf took off.

"Where are you going?" Bilbo asked as Gandalf walked past him in a huff.

"To spend time with the only one who has any sense around here." Gandalf said angrily.

"And who's that?" Poor Bilbo..

"Myself, Master Baggins!" Gandalf yelled.

I gave him my best 'Oh really?' glare as he walked away, but he just huffed and kept walking.

I found myself by the fire as I talked to Bofur about toy making while everyone ate. Bilbo came up after eating and Bofur handed him two bowls.

"Do us a favor and take these to the lads, will ya?" Bofur asked Bilbo.

"Here I'll go with you." I said, taking one of the bowls.

"You seem to be rather close to Fili and Kili." Bilbo stated as we walked through the forest. I looked over at him and smiled.

"They've been very kind to me since I showed up and I feel quite safe around them." I told him honestly, though I left out the part where sleep came much easier when I was in contact with a certain one of them.

We came upon them in the forest standing still staring at the ponies as they grazed.

"What's wrong?" Bilbo asked, seeing that they looked worried.

"We were supposed to be looking after the ponies." Kili said.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." Fili said, turning to look at us. I walked over to him and stood next to him, looking out at the ponies.

"We had 16." Kili replied.

"Now there's 14." Fili finished.

I counted the ponies and sure enough, there was only 14 left. I put the soup down and started to look around.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili said as he walked around. We stopped in front of a large, uprooted tree.

"Looks like something large uprooted this tree." Bilbo said. "Large and probably very dangerous. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

"No! Uh.. Let's not worry him." Fili said quickly. "We thought as our burglar you would look into it!"

"I, well.."

"Look, a light!" Fili said, pointing over into the woods. We jumped over a few logs and watched as a huge troll walked past us with two more ponies.

"Trolls." Kili said in disgust.

"They've got Myrtle and Minty! I think they are going to eat them, someone's got to do something!" Bilbo said worriedly.

"Yes, you should. You're so small they won't even see you!" Kili said, pushing Bilbo out into the open. "We'll be right behind you."

"If you need help, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl!" Fili said before he and Kili attempted to run away, dragging me with them.

"Nope. I'm not leaving him alone. Go to the camp and get the others." I said as I pulled my arm from Kili's grasp. He gave me an unexplainable look, then grabbed my hands while resting his forehead against mine.

"Be careful, promise me." He told me. I nodded and he took off behind his brother quickly to get the others.

I went back to see Bilbo attempting to get a large knife from the belt of one of the trolls, but instead being used as a personal tissue. I gagged at the thought, but I knew I needed to get Bilbo out of there.

"What are you, an oversized squirrel?" One of the trolls asked him.

"A burglar-hobbit!" He corrected himself.

"A burglarobbit? Are there any more of you burglarobbits lurking around?" Bilbo shook his head.

"Nope, no, definitely not." Bilbo answered.

"I think he's lying." One of the trolls said as they jostled him around. I ran out of the woods and threw one of my throwing knives, successfully hitting the one troll in the eye, unfortunately sending Bilbo flying at me. He landed on top of me, and I told him to run. He got behind a tree just as one of the trolls picked me up by my foot.

"I told you he was lying! Wait, where'd our other flurgeraburbber hobbit go?" The one named Bert asked as they spun me around looking for Bilbo. I thought I was going to be sick.

"I'm not a hobbit!" I yelled pointlessly.

"Drop her!" It was hard to see being upside down, but I thought it was Kili. "I said drop her!" The troll flung me at him, knocking him over as I landed on him. He quickly helped me to my feet as the others came bursting out of the woods ready to fight. I pulled my sword and started slashing.

We sliced feet, poked eyes, all sorts of painful things, but nothing really seemed to do much. Fili and Kili were doing all sorts of awesome tricks, jumping off each others backs and flying over the trolls. All of a sudden it got silent. I looked up to see the trolls holding Bilbo by his arms and legs.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off!" One of the trolls said. Thorin looked at them for a second before stabbing his sword into the ground, the rest of us following afterward.

They made us strip down to our underclothes, which was much less comfortable to me then the rest, though Kili made an attempt to shield my view from the others. Once we were in the burlap sacks, we were thrown into a pile. I was laying with my head near Kili's knees, facing the opposite way of the others, minus Fili, who had unfortunately landed on his stomach and couldn't flip over. Kili turned his head down to look at me.

"We need to have a discussion about what 'being careful' means. Because obviously, being captured by trolls, held upside down over their mouths, ready to be eaten is still part of those terms for you." Kili said to me sarcastically.

"I was just trying to save Bilbo! I had things completely under control." I told him matter-of-factly.

"Oh really, you had things completely under control while trolls were dangling you over their mouth by your foot? Yes, I can see that now." If I weren't in a blasted sack I would have punched him.

"Well it's not like either of us can do anything now!" I whisper-shouted.

"You can stop having your lovers quarrel, seeing as we are all about to get eaten!" Fili said as he wiggled on my feet.

"Fili, you better be grateful I don't kick your head!" I whisper-shouted to him too. I could hear Kili sniggering underneath me.

"Wait! You've got it all wrong!" I heard Bilbo say, but I couldn't see him.

"You can't reason with them, they're half wits!" Dori said to Bilbo.

"Half wits? What does that make us?" Bofur yelled.

"_Dim wits_." I muttered.

"The seasoning, you've got it wrong." Bilbo said again, getting the chefs attention.

"Let the flurgeraburbber hobbit talk. What's wrong with the seasoning?" The chef troll asked.

"Have you smelled this lot? It will take a lot more than sage to sweeten them up!" Bilbo told them.

"That's why we have the girl dwarf! She'll be nice and sweet, won't she Bert?" _Damn_.

"Maybe we should squeeze her into jelly." Bert replied.

"Remind me to kill the hobbit." I heard Kili mutter under his breath.

"Get in line." I mumbled back to him.

"No, no! I have a secret to cooking dwarf!" Bilbo shouted, making us all groan even more.

"Well go on, what's the secret?" William asked, looking to Bilbo.

"Yes, I'm telling you the secret is to... _Skin them first!"_ Bilbo shouted, causing all the dwarves to get angry.

"Bert, get me my filleting knife." William asked.

"We don't need to skin them, there's nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" Bert said, picking up Bombur and dangling him over his mouth. "Boots and all!"

"No! That ones infected! He's got... Worms... In his... Tubes!" Bilbo shouted. Bert looked disgusted and threw Bombur back over to us, and unfortunately he landed directly on top of me. I let out a gasp as Bombur tried to wiggle off of me. "In fact they are all infested with parasites, picked them up in the woods. Nasty lot if you ask me." I knew what Bilbo was doing.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili shouted and I actually leaned over and smacked my head on his knee through the burlap sack.

"Play along!" I whispered to Kili.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm!" Oin shouted.

"I've got parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili shouted.

"I'm riddled!" Fili yelled.

"We're all riddled!" I shouted.

"What do you suggest we do then, let them all go?" William asked bilbo.

"Well..." Bilbo replied.

"The little ferret, he's taking us for fools!" One of them shouted.

"Ferret?!" Bilbo yelled.

"Fools?" One of the trolls yelled.

"The dawn will take you all!" I heard Gandalf from somewhere around us, though I couldn't see him. I heard a boulder crack open and saw the trolls turn to stone. I let out a sigh of relief. Gandalf came and cut open a few sacks, leaving the others to cut open the rest.

Kili picked me up, sack and all, and took me behind a tree before he cut open the burlap. It fell to my ankles and I blushed deeply as he cut my hand restraints and foot restraints. I tried to cover the few stretch marks on my stomach, but he had already seen them. _Damn, now I have to tell him soon._

He took off his own shirt and pushed it into my hands turning around for me to put it on. I blushed seeing his sculpted chest, even with all the hair. It made my insides twist and turn.

"I'm going to go find your clothes." He said turning back around. I was only wearing his long tunic and it still didn't leave much to the imagination. I could see something in his eyes as he looked at me like that, but he just shook his head and walked away.

Soon he returned with my pile of clothing and turned around as if to keep watch so that I could change in peace. When I took his shirt back off, I tossed it over his shoulder with a laugh. He almost turned around, but thought better of it and stayed facing the opposite direction.

When I was through, I tapped him on the shoulder, telling him it was okay to turn back around. He did so and let out a breath he had apparently been holding. I leaned in real close to his ear.

"Thank you." I whispered to him and suddenly found myself pushed up against the tree trunk, with Kili's arms on either side of me, keeping me in place. He was looking down at me with an unknown expression and I was almost positive that he was going to kiss me, but he settled for placing a chaste kiss on my forehead instead. He walked away, leaving me breathing heavily against the tree.

It took a minute to regain my composure before I went out and joined the rest of the company. They were already starting to look for a troll horde and I joined them without a word. _What had just happened?_

_Trolls! Hope you enjoyed! Review._


	7. Chapter 7

We found the cave and I couldn't even try to go near it without throwing up. It was the foulest smelling thing I had ever gotten a whiff of. Kili went inside and came out only minutes later, carrying something in his hands. He walked directly over to me.

"I found this and I thought it could possibly replace the one that got stuck in the troll's eye." He said as he handed me a black metal throwing knife. I smiled up at him.

I acted impulsively and hugged him tightly.

"Next time we find a river, please wash up. You smell like troll!" I said laughing as I pulled back. "But thank you, really. It's perfect." I said as I placed a simple kiss on his cheek.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" We heard coming from out of the woods. We all got our weapons out and closed ranks.

"Radagast! My dear friend, what are you doing?" Gandalf exclaimed as the other wizard got off his sled. We all relaxed and placed our swords away, giving the two privacy to talk.

"I see our resident dwarrowdam has got a new weapon. May I take a look?" I heard Fili walking out from behind us. I smiled at him and pulled my new throwing knife from my pocket and placing it in his hands.

"Are we ever going to see you use anything other than these throwing knives?" Fili asked jokingly.

"Eventually, I suppose." I said with a laugh, winking at Kili.

The moment was short lived when we heard the unmistakable growl of a Warg scout. Only seconds later, one came running down the hill, jumping down to us. I already had my long sword out, as did the others.

My body decided to act on its own accord and I leaped forward under the belly of the beast, plunging my sword into its neck and twisting violently. I rolled out from under it quickly before it could fall on me and was helped to my feet by Fili and Kili, both of whom wore an unexplainable expression.

Another Warg came from behind and Kili shot it with an arrow before Dwalin finished it off.

"Who did you tell about this quest beyond your kin?!" Gandalf yelled at Thorin.

"No one!" Thorin replied.

"Who did you tell?!" Gandalf screamed again.

"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin asked seriously.

"We are being hunted." Gandalf said solemnly.

"We need to move!" Thorin yelled.

"The ponies, they bolted!" Ori yelled from the top of the hill.

"We can't outrun them!" Someone else yelled. I was too busy becoming the inside of a sandwich in between Fili and Kili.

"I'll drawl them off!" I heard Radagast yell from his sled.

"Those are Gundabad Wargs, they'll outrun you!" Gandalf yelled but Radagast just smiled at him.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits, I'd like to see them try." Radagast said as he took off on his sled at full speed, the Wargs following him.

"Run!" Gandalf yelled after Radagast had disappeared. Kili grabbed my hand and we took off running at full speed through the forest, then out into the open, hiding behind rock formations every chance we got. Somehow we managed to lose Gandalf in the process and got stuck behind a large rock formation with a Warg and Orc right above us. Thorin looked over at Kili and motioned for him to shot the Warg with his bow. Kili nodded back and Fili held me against the rock as his brother ran out and shot down the Warg. It fell right in front of us, it's Orc rider screaming to alert the others of our location. Dwalin and Bifur made quick work of ridding the Orc of his life and we were now being chased.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf yelled appearing out of nowhere. We all ran after him, and it looked like he was leading us to a dead end, but there was a large opening in the boulders and I knew what it was... The hidden pass. The Orcs and Wargs were gaining on us as the first few dwarves slid down the hole. Kili and I were using our bows to fend them off but they were getting too close. I had run back towards the hole, seeing as I was out of arrows.

Fili was holding my arm trying to push me down the hole, but I pulled out of his grasp and grabbed my sword, putting my bow across my back. There was a Warg coming up behind Kili as he ran towards us, still nearly 20 meters away.

I stayed hidden behind a rock until Kili was close enough and I jumped out behind slicing one of the Wargs legs, bringing it to a halt. I then jumped on it's back and plunged my sword through its skull right before Kili grabbed me and jumped down into the cave. We immediately heard an Elvish horn and the sound of arrows flying through the air.

"What were you thinking? You could have gotten killed!" Kili yelled at me with all the others staring.

"I was trying to save the life a prince, also known as you! Your life is much more valuable to all of us than mine at any given point in time, and you all know that is true." I said with a cold edge to my voice.

"Amari, you-,"

"No, Kili. I don't want to hear it right now." I shot back at him. The adrenaline from battle was the only thing keeping me moving and it was also putting me on edge.

When the others chose to follow the pathway, I walked directly past everyone without saying a word, choosing to lead us instead.

We walked out into one of the places in Middle-Earth I had known well.

"The Valley of Imladris, also known in the common tongue as another name." Gandalf said standing proud.

"Rivendell." Both Bilbo and I whispered, staring in awe at the home of the elves.

"You have brought us here to seek refuge with our enemy?" Thorin asked Gandalf, disgusted.

"You will find no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will in this Valley is that which you bring yourself." Gandalf told him sternly. I didn't bother waiting to hear the rest, I just started walking, Bilbo on my tail the entire time. Kili reached out to stop me but I brushed his hand away quickly, ignoring his protests.

Soon the others were trailing behind me as we made our way over the bridge into Rivendell. When we arrived, we were greeted by an elf with long dark hair, Lindir.

"Lord Elrond is not here." I heard him say. Only seconds later, a loud horn bellowed and there were horses coming towards us.

"Close ranks!" I heard someone yell and suddenly I was being dragged into the center of a protective circle of dwarves. My adrenaline was wearing off and I didn't have enough energy to fight the two that were holding me in my place.

"Is he offering us insult?" I managed to hear Gloin say above the rest.

"No, Master Gloin, he is offering you food." Gandalf replied. I could practically hear my stomach growling.

"Right, well, lead on then." Gloin answered after the others discussed it. I rolled my eyes at the stubbornness of dwarves and was the first to follow the elves to the dining patio.

"Welcome, Miss Amari, it is good to see you again." Lord Elrond said as I got closer to him. Kili gave me a strange look.

"Lord Elrond." I said, smiling back at him as I nodded my head

kindly. I then followed them to the dining pavilion and split away from Kili, leaving him and his brother to stare.

I sat at the end of the table next to Bofur and Bombur, ignoring the staring from the other side of the table.

"What you did was very brave, lass." Bofur said as he leaned over to me. I gave him a forced smile.

"Apparently you are the only one who thinks so, the others seem to think I am a reckless burden." I told him back, loud enough so that Kili could hear. Before he could respond, I had gotten up and excused myself from the table.

**Dun dun dun... RIVENDELL! **


	8. Chapter 8

I found myself wandering the halls until nightfall, finally resting underneath a large tree. I could hear footsteps coming from behind me, but I didn't care, I was staring at my locket before closing it and closing my eyes.

"I know you are awake." I opened my eyes and gave him a glare as Kili sat next to me on the grass. "I never got to thank you properly for saving my arse earlier."

"I wasn't about to let you get attacked, especially when you were out of arrows." I told him honestly.

"Never think that you're life means anything less than mine, Amari. Yes, I strongly believe that you should have gone to safety with Fili. You should have, but you didn't and it is because of that alone that I am still here. I don't agree with it, but that doesn't mean I am not grateful." Kili said as he leaned back against the trunk of the tree.

"Then why were you so angry earlier?" I asked quickly.

"I wasn't necessarily angry at you, more angry at myself, I guess." He told me. "I should have been the one protecting you, not the other way around."

"I don't need protecting, Kili." I said sounding hurt.

"I know you don't need it, but _I want to." _ He said placing his head into his hands. I took a deep breath and plucked up the courage I needed, opening my locket.

"I think it's time for you to see this." I told him, handing him the open locket. He looked up and held his hand out for the locket. He looked at it for a second, confused.

"Children?" He asked, as if piecing together the puzzle himself already.

"They're mine, Kili. My sons." I told him honestly. His eyes went wide for a moment, before he looked at me with an unknown expression.

"And their father?" He asked, almost pained.

"Left when they were still very small. We were married, but he changed. I'm glad that he's gone, out of our lives." I told him. "I understand if you look at me differently, but I had to tell you." I said with a small voice.

"Where are they?" He asked, his voice a bit lighter.

"The world that I came from, time moves differently there. I was brought here right after I laid them down to sleep. I was told that I couldn't see them again until after this quest, but supposedly a year in this world will only be a few moments in that world, they will still be asleep when I return." I told him the truth.

"What do you mean, when you return? You're going to go back?" He sounded a little more frantic.

"I have the choice of either going back or my sons being brought here. I cannot choose until the end of the quest." I said honestly. "I'm sorry if I've hurt you or made you angry. I just didn't know how to tell you—"

I was cut off by his lips suddenly on mine. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Soon he pulled away, scratching the back of his head and blushing.

"I'm sorry—" He began.

"Sorry for what? I thought you were going to cast me out and shun me or something, definitely not that." I said quickly.

"Why would I cast you out?" He asked, confused.

"Because I'm a young, divorced, single mother of two. I thought it would be frowned upon in your culture." I told him honestly.

"You are a bit young, but any children are coveted by dwarves, Amari. It is a blessing that you have two already. As for the ended marriage, the way we see it, is if a mother raises her children on her own, the stronger she is for it. It does not happen much in our culture, but when it does, it is the father that is shunned or cast out, the lass has free choice to do whatever she pleases in life, rather that be re-marrying or keeping to herself." I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as he spoke.

"You seem well educated on the subject." I mentioned curiously.

"My father died right before I was born. Ma raised us by herself for the most part. She also had the choice of re-marrying, but no one's caught her eye just yet." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"So you don't mind that I have children?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not at all. It makes me see just how strong you are. And I just want to say that I hope you choose to stay. You and your children will be welcome anywhere I am." He said as he held my hand.

"Thank you, Kili. I'm not sure that your uncle will feel the same, though." I said sadly.

"He's already starting to warm up to you. And if you're with me, Thorin wouldn't have a choice but to accept you." He told me.

"Is that your way of asking to court me?" I asked curiously, and he just looked over a nodded slowly before I pressed my lips against his again.

"Is that a yes?" He asked as he pulled away.

"That's a yes, but I've already warned you that I have baggage, and my children and I are a package deal. Are you sure you want to get yourself into that? You are a prince, and you are just as young as I am." I asked one of the most loaded questions I've ever asked.

"I want this, Amari, your boys and all. If you'll have me, then you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere." He said as I felt tears stinging my eyes. He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. "What are their names?"

"Grayson and Hayden. Grayson is 3 and Hayden is 2, but I'm not sure how that would translate into age here. Grayson is older, has blonde curly hair and blue eyes, and Hayden is younger with brown curly hair and brown eyes. Both of them are reckless and love to get into trouble, and they are very close. Sounds a bit like two other brothers I know." I said winking at him. It was true, Hayden did look quite a bit like Kili.

"I almost thought the pictures were of Fili and I when we were young. If they are anything like us, then this will be quite the adventure." Kili said laughing as he held his hand out for me to stand up.

"It will be, I can promise that." I said as I took his hand.

"Now we have to go inform Uncle Fili, the others can wait until tomorrow." He said as we walked through the halls towards the guest chambers.

Once we got to the room, Kili walked in and got Fili while I stood outside. They both came back out and we walked a bit away from the room to have privacy. When we stopped, Kili grabbed my hand and held it tightly.

"So this is what you needed to tell me? I knew you two would get together sooner or later." Fili said with a smile.

"Actually it's a bit more than that, Fee." Kili started. "Ari, why don't you show him?" Fili looked up at me, confused and I took my locket back off and opened it, handing it to him.

"Looks like Kili and I when we were babes." Fili said as he looked at the pictures in confusion.

"Told you." Kili whispered to me.

"They aren't pictures of you boys." I told Fili, laughing.

"Then, wait-." He said before his eyebrows raised. "They're yours?" Fili asked incredulously.

"Yes, Fili, they are my sons." I told him. He looked back and forth between Kili and I.

"And you and my brother… I'm going to be an uncle!" He nearly shouted with excitement. He hugged both of us tightly. I explained to him about me and my children and the whole situation.

"You really do have a lot more to fight for than Thorin would ever think." Fili responded after I finished my story.

"I do now as well." Kili replied, kissing the side of my head.

"You know brother, for the youngest on our quest, you have grown the most of us already." Fili said as he held Kili's shoulder.

"We should probably get back. Do you have your own room here?" Kili asked me, unsure.

"I do, but I'd rather stay with you guys, my family." I told them as my eyes filled with tears again.

"Let's go to bed, _azyungal, _it's been a long day." Kili told me, but I was too tired to question his Khuzdul.

We walked back into the room everyone was staying in and Thorin raised his eyebrows at Kili and I, but left us alone for now. We made our way to the corner of the room and found that my bedroll was already laid between the brother's and I smiled.

We laid down and in that moment, I knew more than anything that I was meant to be here. That I needed to save these two boys and their uncle from their terrible fate, and that I would lay down my life to do so.

"_I see that you have discovered your true purpose here, is this correct?" _I heard in my mind. I knew it was Lady Galadriel, for I had spoken with her when I first arrived.

"_I have." _I whispered back in the recesses of my mind.

**Yay! The cat's out of the bag! ** **Had to write some fluff after all the fighting.. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning before the others woke, I found my way to Lord Elrond's chambers. I needed to ask him an important question.

"Ah, Miss Amari, I've been expecting you." Lord Elrond said from his balcony.

"I had a question for you." I told him nervously.

"I assume it has something to do with your new courtship with a certain dwarf prince, yes?" I looked at him incredulously.

"I'm not even going to ask how you know about that, but yes. If something should happen to me on this quest, what would happen to my children?" I asked. It wasn't something I ever wanted to find out, but I needed to know.

"It is your choice where your children would be placed in the case of that event." Lord Elrond responded.

"If I succeed in my own quest, but don't make it myself or fall unconscious for any length of time, then I wish for my sons to be brought here. I would entrust them in the care of Kili, and Fili as well if it came down to it." I told him, sure of myself and my decision.

"I will personally see it done if that should happen, though my hopes are that these words shall never have to cross my mind again." Lord Elrond told me. I felt much better knowing that there was a plan in place if something were to happen.

"Thank you, Lord Elrond." I told him sincerely. "I should probably get back before the others wake and notice that I'm gone."

I walked quickly back to the room where everyone was still sleeping. I laid back down in between Kili and Fili and started playing with Kili's hair, which I did often. A few minutes later, I started humming the Misty Mountains song.

"What are you doing up so early?" I heard Kili whisper as he turned to face me, brushing a piece of hair out of my face.

"Just a lot on my mind. I'm sorry for waking you up, go back to sleep." I said in a quiet voice back to him.

"Come here." He whispered back to me, holding out his arm for me to snuggle into his side. I rolled over and lay my head on his shoulder, burying my face in the crook of his neck.

"You always smell so good." I muttered into his neck. "Even when you smell like troll."

"That makes no sense, Ari. Go to sleep, let that beautiful mind of yours rest for a bit, yeah?" He said as he pressed a soft kiss to my temple and held me closer.

I fell asleep rather easily after that, only waking when I heard the others talking. I opened my eyes to see that I was still laying on Kili, but he was now sitting up, awake and talking to the others, twirling my hair with his fingers as he did so.

"The lass finally wakes!" Bofur yelled when he saw my eyes open.

"Sleep well?" Kili asked, looking down at me.

"Very. How long have you been up?" I asked curiously.

"Only about half an hour. You looked so peaceful, I didn't dare wake you." Kili said, helping me sit up. I reached up to run my fingers through my hair and felt a small braid woven into the left side.

"Is this new?" I asked, feeling the intricate design.

"I hope you don't mind, it's traditional for a lad to give a lass a braid to signify a courtship." Kili responded. I looked at him and smiled brightly.

"I love it. Thank you." I said and I could have sworn I saw him blush. "I suppose the others know now? Should we speak with Thorin?" I asked quickly.

"He told me for us to come find him when you woke." I gave him a worried expression. "Oh, don't worry, it will be fine." He said, helping me up.

As we stood, I heard all sorts of congratulations coming from around the room. I still worried what their reaction would be when they found out about my children. I was getting nervous about telling Thorin.

"Do you have your locket?" Kili asked me before we walked out the door to find Thorin. I reached up and held the locket sound.

"Always." I told him and he nodded.

We didn't have to walk far, seeing as Thorin was only a little ways from the room, standing on a balcony overlooking Rivendell.

"Uncle." Kili said, alerting the elder to our presence. He turned around and nodded to both of us.

"Kili, Amari. I believe there is something you wish to tell me?" Thorin said as he crossed his arms and looked at us. I grabbed Kili's hand nervously.

"Actually there's a few things we need to tell you, Uncle." Kili said honestly and Thorin waited for him to continue. "Well, the first is quite obvious, I've asked to court Amari and she accepted." Thorin nodded again. _What was with the nodding?_

"And the rest?" He asked. Kili looked down at me and motioned at my locket. I lifted the locket from around my neck and opened it, looking at my boys once more before handing it to Thorin. He looked at it confused for a moment.

"A pendant of Fili and Kili as babes?" He asked, still confused.

"That's not us, Uncle." Kili replied.

"But then who?" He looked at me, then down to my stomach, then back at my face. "They are?"

"My two sons, yes." I told him honestly.

"But you are so small, and young, you do not look as if you have given birth to one child, let alone two." Thorin said with honest confusion. I took this as a cue to show him my 'battle wounds' as I called them. I lifted up the bottom of my tunic just far enough to where he could see my stretch marks. His eyes went wide.

"Is that enough proof? I've carried them both, given birth to them both, felt every kick, every pain." I told him, pulling my tunic back down quickly.

"Two sons?" He asked again, this time making sure.

"Grayson and Hayden, my babies." I told him again as he looked back down at the locket.

"Where are they, if not with you?" He asked quickly. I explained to him the same as I did to Kili, including the bit about their father.

"If that filth was in Middle Earth, I would find him and castrate him myself." Thorin muttered.

"Get in line, Uncle." Kili told him, laughing.

"And I assume that when the time comes, you will be claiming responsibility of them as well?" Thorin asked Kili seriously.

"I will in my own right no matter what, but I will do so publically if you shall allow it, Uncle?" Kili asked, making my eyes widen.

"You have my blessing to lay claim to them, Kili. Now go tell your brother while I speak with Amari." I felt the biggest weight lift off my shoulders when he gave his blessing, but then I was weighted back down by the anxiety of talking to him alone. Kili nodded happily and placed a kiss on my temple before running back to the room.

"I did not expect this news." Thorin said in an unreadable voice. I worried that it was bad. "But it is not unwelcomed. I am sure Kili has mentioned how warmly us dwarves take the news of children, correct?" I nodded. "He is the youngest on our quest, but he has already grown the most. And you have proven yourself a warrior in my eyes. You are a brave lass, and to find that you have been raising two boys by yourself doubles that."

"Thank you." I said with gratitude.

"Now tell me more about these boys?" He asked, surprising me.

"Well, you noticed their similar looks to Fili and Kili. What you couldn't see in the pictures is that they behave just like them as well." I told him, laughing.

"May Mahal be with you if they are just as wild. This will be quite the adventure, won't it?" He asked.

"What do you expect? They did come from me." I said, laughing. I told him a bit more about my children and he commented on just how similar they sounded to his own nephews. After a few minutes of talking, he turned back towards the room.

"Come, we must get back to the others." Thorin said as he handed me back my locket. We walked back to the room in silence until he stopped at the door. "Welcome to the family, Amari."

I was too shocked to even go through the door once he opened it, and I was still standing in the same place when Kili and Fili came out the door, looking for me.

"What happened, are you alright? What did he say?" Kili asked hurriedly.

"He- he said, 'welcome to the family'." I whispered as if it were sacred. I looked up at Kili who wore a proud expression and he quickly leaned down to kiss me deeply, picking me up and spinning me around.

"When are we going to tell the others?" I asked as things calmed down a bit.

"I was thinking that we should wait and tell them, keep this between family until the quest is over, if you want." Kili responded hesitantly.

"I think I would like that. Just between family for now." I told Kili with a smile.

The rest of our stay in Rivendell was uneventful, though Kili and I had gotten remarkably closer and he now knew almost every detail about my sons. The council was being held tonight and we were all getting prepared to leave.

When it came time to leave Rivendell I was sad, even though most of the other Dwarves were relieved, seeing as they disliked Elves so much. I knew the journey was about to get much more dangerous, but I felt better with Kili at my side.

After leaving Rivendell, we walked through the valley towards the Misty Mountains, only resting when need be. Weeks later, we finally found the Misty Mountains.

We marched up the narrow path towards the Misty Mountains, clinging to the mountains as we went. I walked behind Kili and in front of Fili as the ledge got thinner and thinner. About halfway up it started thundering and raining hard and I knew it was about to get bad. A giant stone boulder came flying through the air at us.

"This is no storm, this is a thunder battle, look!" Balin yelled, pointing at the mountain breaking apart.

"Bless my beard, the legends are true! It's giants, stone giants!" Bofur yelled. We began looking for cover, but it was too late. The rock started cracking below my feet and I fell backwards into Fili. I reached out for Kili's hand but it was too far, the rock that we were on began moving as we had ended up on the stone giant's knee.

The two stone giants fought and unfortunately ours lost and began to fall into the stone cliff. Fili was holding on to me as tight as he could so that I wouldn't fall off the edge. But when the giant hit the mountain, we all fell off. Luckily we landed about fifteen feet below on the edge of the mountain and I landed directly on top of Fili.

"Thank you, Fili." I muttered as I stumbled to try and get to my feet.

To my relief, Kili and the others came running around the corner and let out a cry of happiness when they saw us piled up on the ledge. As soon as they got down to us, Kili ran to me and hugged me tightly before hugging his brother, thanking him.

"Where's Bilbo, where's the hobbit?" Someone yelled. I looked around for him, finally finding him dangling off the edge of the cliff.

"Here! He's here!" I yelled. Bofur tried to reach him but failed, Thorin climbed over the edge of the cliff and lifted Bilbo back up.

"We thought we lost our burglar!" Dwalin told Bilbo as he regained his footing.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come, he has no place amongst us." Thorin spat.

The comment made me angry, but I kept myself in check, not needing Thorin to get even more angry before we had to deal with Goblin Town.

"We need to find shelter, now!" Thorin yelled over the thunder. They found a cave to rest in and deemed it safe. I knew it was a trap to Gobin Town, but this part needed to happen for Thorin to trust Bilbo. I would just have to play it as safe as I could. Though I was sure they would treat a lass differently than the others, and not in a good way.

**She told Thorin, YAY! What do you think of their decision to keep it from the rest until after the quest? Goblin Town is up next!**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Previously-_**

_"We need to find shelter, now!" Thorin yelled over the thunder. They found a cave to rest in and deemed it safe. I knew it was a trap to Gobin Town, but this part needed to happen for Thorin to trust Bilbo. I would just have to play it as safe as I could. Though I was sure they would treat a lass differently than the others, and not in a good way._

Bofur took first watch as we tried to sleep, but I couldn't sleep, knowing the danger we were about to be in. It was worse now that Gandalf wasn't with us. I was shaking in my sleep and it woke Kili up.

"Are you okay, love?" Kili whispered in my ear. I nodded my head and turned to snuggle into him. He kissed my forehead then went back to sleep. Sure enough Bilbo rose to leave, arguing with Bofur as he did so, then the sand on the floor started to disappear through large cracks and and soon we were all flying into Goblin Town.

I landed in the middle of the pile, which was not a pleasant feeling after being sent down a rocky tube slide.

"Goblins! Kili, Fili, hide her as best you can!" Thorin whisper-yelled to them and all of a sudden I found myself with a hat on my head, being dragged behind Kili as the Goblins took us prisoner.

I reached up as we were making our way towards the Goblin King and noticed that it was Bofur's hat that I was wearing.

We finally made it in front of the scrotum-chinned Goblin King and he smelled just as rancid as he looked. Kili kept me behind him and Fili, trying to block my view as best they could.

"Who is so bold as to trespass armed into my kingdom? Is it spies, thieves, assassins?" The goblin king spat. One of the goblins stepped forward.

"Dwarves, your Malevolence." He squeaked.

"Dwarves? What would bring dwarves through this part?" The goblin king bellowed. No one spoke. "Very well, if they will not talk, then we make them squawk! Bring out the mangler, bring up the bone breaker! Start with the young- wait. Is that a _girl_ I see?" I looked in panic at Kili, and my hands started shaking before I felt them grab my arms, pulling me closer the Goblin King, l gave Kili and Fili a pleading look not to do anything stupid, that I would be fine.

"Such a pretty little thing. One girl traveling amongst 13 males. What are you then, the company concubine?" I turned red and I could see Fili holding Kili back as he struggled. I just spat at the King's feet. I heard the crack of a whip before I felt it slash across my back. "Tell me why you are here!"

"I will say nothing, you filth!" I yelled through the pain and I felt another slash. I could tell he was about to do it again when I heard shuffling behind me.

"Wait!" Thorin yelled from the back, making his way to the front to greet the Goblin King.

"Well, well. Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain." The king gave him a mocking bow and started laughing. "Oh, but I am forgetting that you don't have a mountain, and you're not really a king, which makes you nobody, really." Thorin stayed silent, but looked angry. "I know somebody who will pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak? An old enemy of yours, A pale Orc astride a white Warg?"

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle, long ago." Thorin spat.

"So you think his defiling days are over, do you? Send word to the Pale Orc saying that I've found his prize, complete with a pretty little bow-tie." The Goblin told a messenger who went sailing through the air with his message.

The goblins started taking the swords and looking at them and the Orcrist caught the goblin kings eyes.

"I know that sword! The goblin-cleaver! The blade that's sliced a thousand necks!" The Goblin King yelled, " Kill them, kill them all and bring me his head!" The goblins began to whip us all while hitting and kicking us. A blinding white light came out of nowhere knocking us all over.

"Take up arms and fight!" Gandalf yelled as he seemingly appeared out of nowhere. We all rushed to the pile of our weapons and began fighting the goblins. There were swords and spears everywhere, arrows flying and whips cracking. I could feel blood seeping down my back but I kept fighting. Gandalf made some type of a force field, giving us the chance to run. We ran as fast as we could towards the exit, but the Goblin King was on the other side, blocking us.

"What are you going to do now, wizard?" The Goblin King asked.

Gandalf stuck his staff in the goblin's eye and slashed him across the chin and belly with the Foehammer.

"That'll do it." The Goblin King said before falling forward, making the bridge collapse, all layers of it falling down the goblin tunnels. Somehow I managed to get sandwiched between Fili and Kili when we landed, underneath the rubble of the wooden bridges.

"Well that could have been worse…" Bofur yelled right before the giant dead Goblin King fell on top of us. It knocked the breath out of me, but at least I didn't have wood around me.

"You have got to be joking..." I murmured, cursing Bofur for jinxing us. Fili and Kili helped me out and Kili noticed the horde of goblins now rushing after us all.

"Gandalf!" Kili yelled.

"We can't fight them all!" Dwalin yelled.

"Daylight will save us all, RUN!" Gandalf yelled, running towards the tunnels. We got out of the cave and kept running into the forest, finally stopping. I struggled to catch my breath as I bent to my knees.

"Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, Oin, Gloin, Bofur, Bifur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fili, Kili, Amari, that's fourteen, now where's Bilbo?" Gandalf looked around, searching for the hobbit.

"Where's our Hobbit?"

"Curse the halfling, now he's lost." Dwalin yelled.

"I thought he with Dori last!" someone yelled.

"Oi, dont blame me!" Dori yelled.

"I thought I saw him slip away when they first took us." Nori said suggestively.

"Tell me what happened." Gandalf said to Nori, but Thorin cut him off.

"I'll tell you what happened. The hobbit found his chance and he took it. He is long gone." Thorin said angrily.

"No, he isn't." Bilbo said as he stepped out from behind a tree. I knew he had the ring and I had a strong urge to tell Gandalf.

"Bilbo Baggins, I have never been so happy to see anyone in all my life." Gandalf said welcoming the hobbit.

"Bilbo, we had almost given you up!" Kili yelled from my side.

"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked him.

"How indeed?" Dwalin asked curiously.

"Well what does it matter, he's back!" Gandalf said, trying to pull the pressure off Bilbo.

"It matters. I want to know. Why did you come back?" Thorin asked curiously.

"Look, I know you all doubt me. I…I know you always have. You're right, I often think of Bag-End. I miss my books, my armchair, and my garden. You see, that's where I belong, my home. That's why I came back, because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I promise to help you take it back if I can." Bilbo said. It made me smile and forget about the terrible pain radiating from my back for a split second. The happiness was short lived, however, when we heard growling and Orc calls.

"Out of the frying pan," Thorin yelled.

"And into the fire!" Gandalf yelled as well. "Run!" We all ran through the forest, I was running on nothing but pure adrenaline. The wargs were gaining on us as the sun was beginning to rise in the distance.

**Sorry its been so long... I got kind of caught up playing Destiny in my free time. But I bought the extended edition of The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug yesterday when it came out and this has been on my mind ever since!**


	11. Chapter 11

_Previously-_

_"__Out of the frying pan," Thorin yelled._

_"__And into the fire!" Gandalf yelled as well. "Run!" We all ran through the forest, I was running on nothing but pure adrenaline. The wargs were gaining on us as the sun was beginning to rise in the distance. _

"Up in the tree's all of you!" Gandalf yelled as we came to the edge of a cliff. I was suddenly being lifted by Kili into the tree, him and Fili following closely. Bilbo was the last to climb into the trees as we all climbed higher. I heard Thorin whisper "Azog" as we saw the pale Orc on his white warg.

The wargs began jumping on the trees, shaking them so hard they would fall. Fili and Kili pulled me to the next tree, then to the next, until all of us were on the very last tree. Soon it began to topple over, dangling us off the egde of the cliff.

Gandalf was throwing flaming pine cones at the Orcs, but they were still coming at us. Soon our tree was completely toppled over and we were all dangling from its branches, Ori and Dori about to fall if not for Gandalf's staff.

I saw Thorin stand and run off the tree, directly at Azog. The white warg knocked him over before picking him up with his teeth, throwing him onto the rocks. I yelled for him, but I knew it was in vain.

I saw Azog give the order to behead him and I felt an energy surge through me that I'd never felt before.

Suddenly, I noticed Bilbo jump up and run off the tree, tackling the orc who was about to slay Thorin. I was just behind him, despite the screams of protest from Kili and Fili. I pulled out my sword and jumped in front of Thorin, fending off several Wargs and Orcs as the fires around us grew. A few others, the ones that could, had ran off the tree and were fighting as well, until the Eagles showed up.

I felt myself being lifted by an eagle and thrown onto the back of another. The feathers were so soft, I felt like just falling asleep, but I knew I needed to keep myself awake until we landed.

We flew probably several miles before I saw the top of the Carrock, shaped like a bear, with huge stone stairs leading to the landing.

I had been completely oblivious the entire ride and only realized after we had landed that Kili had been yelling for me, my hearing hadn't fully come back yet from the crack of the whips.

I felt strong arms around me, careful of the bottom of my back, and knew it was Kili.

"Ari, can you hear me?" I barely heard from only my right ear. I looked up to his face and pointed to the ear I could still hear out of. "Is it permanent?"

"No, it'll come back soon." I said a bit too loudly, not knowing. I saw Thorin finally wake and I could tell he was saying something, but I couldn't hear it. It didn't matter; I knew it was about the hobbit anyways. I looked over and saw Thorin speaking to Bilbo then pulling him into a hug.

I then saw him look over to me in confusion, and I saw him mouthing my name. I still couldn't hear hardly anything. I could see Kili explaining to him before I watched him walk over to me and pull me into a crushing hug as well. I winced in pain as I felt my back begin bleeding again.

I really hated being temporarily deaf because all of a sudden, all I saw was Kili, Fili, Thorin and Oin surrounding me talking quickly to one another. I felt hands on my back, lifting my tunic and I tried not to scream, eventually making a growling sound in my throat.

"Leave it be until we get to a stream! It will get infected if you wrap it as it is. We need to get down these rocks." I said, my voice once again coming out a bit too loud to them.

"I will carry you." Kili insisted into my good ear but I stopped him.

"I've faced much worse pain than this, Kili. I am fine." I told him. It was true, childbirth was possibly the worst pain anyone could feel, and remembering that made this feel like a scrape on the knee. I saw his worried expression. "You can assist me, and that's it!"

I felt his arm go around my upper back and my arm wrapped around the back of his neck. After about three hours of agonizing pain, and the gradual process of regaining my hearing, we finally made it to the bottom. Luckily there was a small stream and a nice spot to set up camp.

"You shouldn't have climbed down, I should have carried you." Kili said as he helped me lay on his cloak, face down.

"I was fine, the pain isn't nearly as bad as it looks, I'm sure." I told him, even though the pain was pretty bad.

"Stop trying to be so strong, Ari. We already know you are stronger than all of us. I know this is hurting you much more than you are letting on." Kili said as he lifted up my blood-soaked tunic, looking at the wounds again.

"Fine, alright, yes. It hurts. It bloody fucking hurts, but it's still not the worst I've felt. I promise you, there are worse pains." I told him, trying to keep from crying. I wouldn't let myself cry now.

"What could possibly be worse than this?" I heard Fili say coming up to us. I looked around to see if anyone else was within earshot. Only Thorin was.

"Childbirth, my dear Fili. And I've done that twice! This is nothing in comparison." I said with a small laugh.

"Look at this, she's gone mental, laughing with an injury like that?!" Fili said and I just started laughing more, until it started to hurt my back worse.

"Something has to take my mind off the fact that half my lower back is flayed like a fish!" I said, laughing again. Must be the end of the adrenaline rush.

"Ari?" Kili asked as my vision became a bit blurry. "Amari? Amariyanna!" I heard him yell as I lost consciousness.

I felt my eyes begin to open and I could tell it was dark. I must have been out for a while. I reached my hand down to my back and felt that it had been bandaged and it felt much better already. I could tell I wasn't wearing my own tunic anymore, seeing as this one was blue, and a bit big on me.

"Kili, she's awake!" I heard Fili say as he pushed on Kili, who was lying next to me, shirtless. I saw him sit straight up and look down at me.

"Ari, thank Mahal." Kili said as he leaned down and kissed my temple, brushing my hair away from my face.

"I guess my adrenaline rush wore off and I passed out, right?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"Scared the wits out of me, you did." Kili said, looking down.

"I'm sorry. I feel much better now, if that helps? And I'm guessing my shirt was ruined?" I asked, reaching over to touch Kili's bare chest, trailing my fingers down his sculpted muscles.

"Ori's going to try and fix it on his watch tonight. I just didn't want you to be exposed around the others in the meantime." He said quietly.

"Thank you. You dressed me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Fili helped while Thorin stood watch so the others wouldn't bother us. I didn't want anyone other than my brother to see you. I'm sorry if—"

"If anyone had to do it, I'm glad it was you and Fili. I trust you both the most." I told him with a reassuring smile. After talking for a little while, we both fell asleep, my head in Kili's lap as he leaned against a tree.

The next morning, Thorin sent Bilbo to scout while I tried to get up before Kili was awake. I didn't want him yelling at me to stay lying down when I knew we were about to be running.

"What are you doing?" Thorin asked quietly as he watched me attempting to stand.

"What does it look like? I'm trying to stand without bending my back. A little help would be nice." I said in a sarcastic voice. He shook his head and came over to help me.

"You shouldn't be standing." He said, as I finally was upright.

"You'll be glad that I can do so myself in a few minutes. We really need to be moving and I do not intend on slowing us down at all." I told him confidently.

"You are just as stubborn as the rest of us. How do you act as if you are fine, when you have a large and painful wound? You fought as if it had never happened." He asked.

"Mind over matter. Just pretend it isn't there and keep moving. When I was fighting, that was pure adrenaline." I told him with nonchalance as I began to pack up the few things I had left.

"You chose to defend me as I lay unconscious. Why?" He asked, looking away.

"You're family now. Even if Kili and I aren't married yet, I still see you and Fili as family, and I always will. Fili's like a brother to me, and you- you aren't my king. You're more like…"

"Like what?" Thorin asked when I didn't finish my thought, due to tears building in my eyes.

"Like- like a father of sorts." I said, a tear making its way down my face. I hadn't cried the entire journey and now I tear up in front of Thorin, himself. "I'm sorry-,"

I was cut off by him pulling me into a tight embrace, then pulling back and wiping the tear from my chin.

"I would be honored if you thought of me as a father figure. I often think of Fili and Kili as my own." He said "Now go wake the boys, we will be leaving soon."

I turned, wiping the remaining tears from my face before walking over to wake up the boys. I picked up a long stick and poked Fili a few times so that I didn't have to bend over and open my wounds.

"Oi, what was that for?" Fili asked, rubbing his chest where I poked him.

"Time to get up, and wake Kili as well." I told him. He finally realized that I was standing.

"Why are you up and about? You should be resting." Fili said as he stood.

"You know me, stubborn as a dwarf. Besides, it doesn't hurt that bad anymore and we need to get moving." I told him honestly.

"I don't understand how you can even be moving with a wound like that." He said, reaching down to wake Kili.

"High pain tolerance and a strong will." I told him, laughing as I moved so that I wasn't in Kili's warpath.

Kili opened his eyes after swinging at Fili a few times, looking around.

"Amari?" He said frantically looking around. His eyes finally settled on me and he stood up, walking to my side. "Why are you up? You—,"

"Feel much better. We need to get moving, I wasn't going to hold us back." I told him stopping his rant before he even got started.

Before he could say anything, we were interrupted by Bilbo running back down the hillside.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked him quickly.

"Too close, a couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it." Bilbo replied.

"They saw you?" Thorin asked quickly.

"No. No, there was something else out there." Bilbo replied, looking quite terrified.

"What form did it take, like a bear, but bigger?" Gandalf asked him quickly.

"Yes, much bigger." Bilbo said, confused. I knew who it was.

"There is a house, not far from here where we might take refuge." Gandalf stated. All eyes turned to him.

"What house, friend or foe?" Thorin asked quickly.

"Neither, he will either help us, or kill us." Gandalf said solemnly.

"What other choice do we have?" Thorin asked, suddenly hearing the giant bear getting closer, much closer.

"None." Gandalf said. "Run!"

Everyone quickly grabbed their few things and we ran. I didn't pay any attention to the pain in my back, just focused on trying to get there. We ran for a long time, never stopping to take a break. I could feel myself growing weaker, but I pushed on until we saw a large house in the middle of a field.

"Into the house, go!" Gandalf yelled as the bear chased us from behind. We ran fast towards the house and finally made it to the door and no one could figure out how to open it. I pushed my way to the front and unlatched it, pushing it open quickly.

We all piled inside the house and I found myself getting dizzy and breathing heavily. Kili rushed over to my side as I was about to fall over.

"Thorin, Fili!" I heard Kili shout, and soon they were at my side as well.

"She's overworked herself. Her body needs to rest so that it can heal." I heard Thorin say before I let the darkness take over once again.

**Sorry it's been so long, darlings. Ive been busy at work and with two sick babies (and I, of course, got sick as well). **


End file.
